Heating and air conditioning unit



Feb. 23; 1943. B. 0. PLACE 2,312,123-

HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING UNIT Filed Jan. 4, 1940 I 57 5/07? 6. P/ace9544 I fimwd fmm objections.

Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATING AND AIRCONDITIONING UNIT Bion 0. Place, Detroit, Mich. Application January 4,1940, Serial No. 312,437

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel heating and air conditioningunit designed to provide a forced, and properly directed, circulation ofheated air carrying entrained water vapor. More particularly, theinvention is concerned with a portable heating and air conditioningunit, that is very well adapted to such purposes as the heating oftrailers, cabins, garages, homes and various inexpensive structures,particularly those which are not well insulated as to the floorsthereof.

Stoves, which are now in wide use for the heating of inexpensivestructures of the character just referred to, are open to a number ofserious 7 In the first place, such stoves, which frequently depend uponradiation or the natural conduction of heat from the heating elementthereof, constitute a distinct fire hazard, when used in structures ofthe kind where they are frequently employed, because their externalsurfaces become highly heated and are thus capable of setting fire todraperies, or other readily com,- bustiblematerials that mayaccidentally come in contact with the stove. A second further seriousobjection to portable stoves of this type, when used as just stated, isthat the circulation of the heated air is from the stove toward theceiling of the room in which it is located following natural physicallaws. Accordingly, the rooms heated by such stoves are liable to berelatively cold close to the floor of the room, and when the floors areimproperly insulated, as is frequently the case in such structures,living conditions in such rooms become uncomfortable and unhealthful.

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a portableheating unit or stove which does not depend upon the radiation of theheat from exposed heated surfaces of the stove, but which, on the otherhand has its external surfaces properly insulated to avoid all danger offire due to contact of flimsy materials .with parts of the heating unit,and at the same time to provide a heating unit which causes a forcedcirculation of the heated air toward the floor of the room in which theunit is located to the end that the heat provided by the unit iseffective to maintain the fioor of the room warm and the space withinthe room above the floor comfortable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable heating unitintended particularly for use in heating trailers, cabins or like cheapstructures designed so that the current of air heated and produced bythe unit is supplied with water vapor and distributed in every directionfrom the unit close to the floor of the room in which the unit is placedin operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a heating and airconditioning unit includ ing a combustion chamber, the heat transmittingwall of which forms one Wall of a passageway, the other wall of thepassageway being formed by a separate insulated wall, and to include insuch unit means to circulate air through the passageway in the directionneeded to accomplish the desired maximum heating effect.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved heatinand air conditioning unit protected by a water jacket surrounding andspaced from the combustion chamber of the unit, and to cause acirculation of air through the heating unit in such a way that watervapor is withdrawn from the water jacket and entrained in the stream ofheated air as it passes through said unit.

Still further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionthereof proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through a preferred form ofportable heating unit including the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmental sectional view showing the heating unit ofFigure 1, modified so as to constitute an air conditioning device inaddition to its function as a heating device;

Figure 3 is a fragmental sectional view showing a further modified formof heating unit, designed to avoid circulation of the heated products ofcombustion; and

Figure 4 is a Vertical section of a heating and air conditioning unitincluding the present invention and of a type suitable for heating oneor more rooms remotely located with respect to the unit and forinstallation in the basement of a home orthe like for the "purpose ofheating the rooms on the other floor or floors of said home, or

in a closet of a home or the like for heating a room orrooms located onthe same or on several floors.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the severalfigures.

Referring to the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1 of thedrawing, the portable stove illustrated comprises an annular fuelreceptacle l0 provided in its top wall with an opening l l for thepassage of a wick l2 dipping into the oil I3 within said receptacle. Thearrangement of the wick and the mechanism for adjusting and feeding thesame may assume any conventional form, such mechanism being well knownin the art and forming no part of the present invention; The inner wallE4 of the fuel is filled with insulating material -2l of any suite ablecharacter that will prevent substantial heat transfer from the wall l8tofthe wall I'L...Reg.- istering openings 22 and 23 in the walls l1. andI8 adjacent the fuel receptacle permit "the passage of air through theinsulated wall into the combustion chamber l9 to support the combustionof fuel therein. The upper portion of :the wall l5.is flanged outwardly,as indicatedat 24,- and said :flange is at- .tached by brackets -or anyequivalent means to the wall [3 whereby -;a rigid unit 1 is provided.

Opening-s 25 in the fiange -24 permit the heated products-of combustionto flow from the combustion chamber 19 into the space above saidchamber, theflow of said gases beingcontrolled by an adjustable valveplate :26 having openings 21 which .may bebrought into whole "oi-partial.registry with'theopenings -25 of the =fiange 24. The adjustment of theplate .26 :may be accomplished in any desired manner.

The topof the unit alread described is closed by a cover 28, the marginsof which are bent F downwardly and inwardly "under the overlappedflanges-23, as indicated at 29. The cover .28 is provided with amultiplicity of openings 30 permitting air to flow from the outside of"the unit through the cover, when the openings 30 are in registry withlike openings contained in an adjustable flow controlling plate 3|,preferably piyotally attachedat :32 to the inside of the cover 28. Whenthe openings in the plate 3| are in registry with the openings '30 ofthecover 28, asillus'tr-ated, air is free -to flow from the-top of theheating unit through the cover into the passageway formed by the walll5. understood that, when a now of air from above the unit through thecover '28 is -.=not desired, the plate.3 l is shifted so-th-at theopeningstherein are out of registry with the openings 33 in the cover128.

The-heating unit is mounted .upon aasuitable sheet metal deflector-33having feet 34 serving to space .saiddeflector above .the floor of theroom in which the heating unitisdisposed. -'-I'he fuel receptacle andthe parts attached thereto, as already described, are secured tothedeflector in spaced relation thereto by suitable clips 35 rigidlyattached, respectively, to the deflector and to a wall of thereceptacle, the arrangement being such that thefuel receptacle is.spaced-substantially above thefloor on which. the -feet 34, attached tosaid deflector rest. Supported cen- It will be p tr-ally of thedeflector 33 is an electric motor 36 on the shaft ,3! of which .a fan.38 is arranged. When the motor .is put into operation, air is drawndownwardly through the passageway defined by the wall JSas indicatedbythe arrows in said passageway in-Eigurel' of the drawing anddefiectedflaterally by -deflector-33.

The operation .of the unit just describedis "as follows: When the wick12 is ignited and .com- "bustion initiated in the .chamberllil,Lsaidcomor lessdegree, or completely shutting off the ow bustion issupported by air flowing into the combustion chamber through theopenings 22 and 23. The air entering the combustion chamber through saidopenings and the products resulting from the combustion within thechamber pass upwardly by natural laws in the combustion chamber l9 andthrough the openings 25 and 21 into the space beneath the cover 23. Fromthis point, the heated air and the products of combustion passdownwardly through the passage l5 under the action of the fan 33 whichis set in operation when the burner is ignited. After the burner is inoperation the plate 3| is adjusted permitting further air to flow fromabove the heating unit through the opening 30 in the cover thereof intothe passage formed by the wall l5, the action of the fan also serving todraw air fromtheoutside of the heating unit through said cover. Thepassage of said air is thus thrown intothe heating unit along thepassageway 16, the walls of which'become'highly heated, and thusthoroughly warm said air, which air mingles'with the gases drawn intosaid passageway by theactionof the fanfrom the combustion chamber IS.The air drawn through the :pas-

sageway l5 :by the fan 38 is discharged-inevery direction at .the baseof the unit being deflected by the "deflector at the bottom of saidpassageway .and discharged into theroom in which the heating unit isdisposed close to the floor thereof.

,Ifcdesired, any number of segmental shutters 3'9 and), slidablyassociated with the. outer-wall of the receptacle I B, may beprovided,.said shut} ters being mounted to permit closing .to a greater of air.from the heating :unit in any ldirection gin which a .flow is notdesired. As, for? example, when the heating unit is disposed adjacentthe wallof the roomor likeobstruction and itisnot desired ,tohave theheated airflow thereover,:-one or .morelof the shutters maylbe closed. 3As Emany shutters 39 and 40 may be provided as-are deemed desirable. l l1 7 It will be-observedthat the heating unit has -no exposed highlyheated side surfaces :providing a firelhazard .whenitds in .operation,the external surfaces-of the heater being maintained at low temperatures.by virtue of the spaced walls II and l8 and the insulationtherebetween, and because air i continuously circulating through the topof the vunit when the fan is in operation keeping said top at a lowtemperature. However if .desired, the top of the unit can be used asastove by stopping .the fan, when the top of the unit will be heated toa relatively high temperature.

Figure 2 illustrates a modified form of the invention in which theheated air issupplied with water vapor to condition the heated airbefore supplying it to the room adjacent the .floornnder the action ofthe fan of the unit. In this (form of the invention, the space betweenthe walls l'land I8, arranged as are walls 11 and I8 of Figzure 1, isfilled with water 4 I. The water between saidwallsserves to prevent the:free how of :heat from the combustion chamber to the exterior side wallof the unit. The level of the water between the walls I1 and I8 ismaintainedibelow aligned openings 42 and 43 in said respective walls. Ia I V g In the operation in this form of the invention, which isotherwis like that already described; the action 'ofthe' fan also servesto drawg air through the openings 42 and '43 into the passageway formedby the wall 15. As the air-dc drawn throughtheopeiiings 42 and fltitcollects water vapor above the level of the water 41: be: tween wallsIT" and I8", whiehwater is heated because the wall I8 is exposed: to theheated gases of' the combustion chamber- The water vaporthusdrawnintothepassage defined by the wall I5 is iiii'--gled with the air and gasesdrawn into said" passage through the cover of theunit and from thecombustioncharnber i n the manner already described. It isfwelluhderstoodthat a room having moisture in the air contained therein" iscomfortable at a much lower temperature thana room containing'dry air,and that-a room containing the roper amount or moisture iii-the airtherein is more" healthful than arrested room filled with dry air.-- Theunit of Figure 2, accordingly, is a heating and air conditioningdevice.-

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 3, a short conduit Sisshow'ii, having" one end S open to the space in which the isdisposedand the other open ends in communication with the combustion chamberadjacent the upper end thereof. In this form of' the invention, theflange 24 is maintained imperrerate so that the products of' combustionare dis charged through conduit 3 The end s" of said conduitmay beconnected to a suitable pipe-that serv's 't'o convey the products ofcombustion to a chimney or to the open air. When this form of theinvention is employed, the products of combustion are discharged fromthe room heated by the unit. In other respects the unit of Figure 3 islike that of Figure 1 and its operation is the same with the exceptionthat, as already indicated, the fan circulates only air taken from theroom through the passage provided by wall I5.

It will be understood that the form of the invention illustrated inFigure 2 may, if desired, be designed to discharge the products ofcombustion from the combustion chamber after the manner just describedwith reference to the form of the invention shown in Figure 1.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, a heating and airconditioning unit is shown, embodying the principles of the presentinvention but of the type adapted for use in a closet or in the basementof a dwelling or the like from which heat is to be supplied to a room orrooms on the same floor or overhead. The heating unit comprises acombustion chamber 44, which may be a coal burning furnace including agrate 45, an ash-pit 46, and a fuel supply opening 41. The products ofcombustion are discharged through a conduit T leading to a chimney orthe open air. Any other burner, such as an oil or gas burner, may beincluded in chamber 44. The combustion chamber 44 is supported on a basehaving legs 48 serving to space said chamber above the floor of thebasement. The walls of the combustion chamber 44 are made of heattransmitting material such as sheet metal. Surrounding the walls of thecombustion chamber 44 is a double walled casing comprising spaced walls49 and 50 connected together to provide a water jacket. The wall 49 hasa plurality of openings 5| above the expected water level 52 within thejacket. Further openings 53 are provided in the wall 50, the latteropenings being preferably aligned with the openings 5| in the wall 49.The outer wall of the combustion chamber 44 and the wall 50 of the waterjacket define an angular passageway between them. The top of the unit isprovided with aseries. of turthei: openings 55 through which: airmay bedrawn into 'the p'a'ssage provided between the combustion chamber andthe water jacket; Acondu'it 56 is i n communication with the passagebetween the wan 59 and the when the fan 5'! is put in operation, an isdrawn into the passageway between the water jacketand the combustionchamber through the openings55 at the top of the unit. Further air islikewise from the outside of the heating and air conditioning unitthrough the openings 5| and 53 in the respective walls 49 and '50. Asthe air passes through said o enings the water vapor above the water inthejacket is entrained in the current of air which is heated by contactwith the outer wall of the combustion chamber 44. The heated air andentrained vapor is delivered to the rooms of the dwelling by the fan 51.

It will be observed that the combustion chamber is properly insulatedfrom the basement in which the unit is located, thus conserving the heatgenerated by the consumption of the fuel therein, and that said heat itransmitted to the air stream flowing along the outer wall of thecombustion chamber.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. An air heater comprising a series of vertical concentric spacedwalls, the space between the inner two walls forming an annularcombustion chamber, and the two outer walls providing a double-walledcasing; a burn-er adjacent the lower part of said combustion chamber,the inner wall forming a central passageway open at the bottom andcommunicating at the top with said combustion chamber, a closureadjacent the top of said walls forming part of the communication betweensaid chamber and passageway; adjustable air inlet means in said closure;means adjacent the bottom of said central passageway for drawingcombustion gases from said chamber downwardly into said passageway andair through said air inlet means to cool the upper part of said heat-erand temper said gases, and deflector means below said passageway fordistributing the heated air horizontally in all directions. 2. Aportable heater, comprising spaced inner and outer walls forming anannular combustion chamber, the inner of said walls providing acentrally disposed passageway, means to cause a circulation of air fromthe room in which the heater is disposed and from said combustionchamber through said passageway, means outwardly of said outer wall tominimize heat transfer from said chamber directly into said room, andmeans to direct the flow of heated air through said passageway towardthe floor of said room.

j;3; Aj;por table room heater; comprising a an externalcasing: providinga hollow wall, asubstan'cejnsaid wall to minimize heat transfer through.said casing, an internal heat transmittin'gfwall forming a combustionchamber with said, casing and a passageway paralleling said last-named,wall. of ,the combustion chamber, means disposed in said casing to causea downward circulation of air through said passageway and laterally ofsaid casing in every direction parallel and relatively close to thefloor of said room, and adjustable means adjacentthe top of saidpassageway foradmitting air from said room tosaid passageway. I

4. A portable heater, comprising an external casing providing a hollowwall, water within said wall, an internal heat transmitting wall formina combustion chamber with said casing, said, lastnamed wall defining apassageway extending lengthwise of said casing and of saidchamber, meansto cause a circulation of air downward through said passageway, andopenings through said hollow Wall forming passages above the water levelfrom the atmosphere to said passageway whereby water vapor is caused toenter said passageway by said means.

5. A portable heater comprising a vertically disposed hollow-walledjacket, a Wall within and spaced from said jacket providing an annularcombustion chamber, said last-named wall forming a passageway extendinglongitudinally of-said chamber and said'jacket, a cover extending acrossthetop of said jacket and wall and having openings therein communicatingwith said passageway, a fan and motor arranged to circulate air drawnthr u h s d openings downward-through said passageway, passages todischarge said airin everydirection laterally of the heater at-the basethereof, and means to selectively control the discharge of air from saidpassageway. i a

6.,The heaterdefined in claim 5 in which-said jacketcontains water andis provided with openings extendingcompletely therethrough above thewater level therein whereby water vapor is drawn into the passageway bysaid fan. 1 i v '1. A portable heater and air conditioner com prising avertically extending hollow casing'having water therein and openingsextending com,- pletely-through said casing above the level; of watertherein, a heat-transmitting wall within said casing and spacedtherefrom, said w-all providing a-combustion chamber and a passagewayparallelto said wall, said chamber and passage way being atoppositesides of said wall,- and fan means to cause circulation of airdownwardly through said passageway, said fan means bein efiectivetocause some air to pas through said openings whereby water vapor fromthewater in said casing is caused to enter said passageway.v BION C.PLACE,

